I’m seeing ridiculous ES figures working up a stout load for 10mm 190 gr. penetrators. Easily 5X what I get with 200 gr. XTPs and Blue Bullets. Same powder (Power Pistol), primers, press & brass. Experienced handloader. Just wondering if anyone else has has a similar experience, and if so, did you find a solution?
@Clusterfrack
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Cutting Edge bullets?Originally Posted by JCL
Likes pretty much everything in every caliber.
Lehigh
"The older I get, the more I think that just staying home and drinking the good stuff by yourself is way underrated as a healthy practice." - Totem Polar
"An entire worldview devoted to being offside." - feudist
First off, I've never loaded copper solids, used Power Pistol, or loaded 10mm. These are generic questions that you may well have already worked through.
Cases - all the same headstamp? All once-fired or all unfired? All the same OAL? This last is usually more important with revolver and rifle cartridges, but can still influence bullet pull even with a taper crimp.
Have you tried Magnum primers?
Have you tried a different powder? (This comes from a guy who uses BE-86 in everything.)
"Everything in life is really simple, provided you don’t know a f—–g thing about it." - Kevin D. Williamson
ALL of this. I'd also make sure that your dies are clean and that they haven't come loose in the press.
Okie John
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Another area to try is to measure the length, diameter and weight of the individual projectiles and see if you have a lack of consistency there.
Regional Government Sales Manager for Aimpoint, Inc. USA
Co-owner Hardwired Tactical Shooting (HiTS)
@JCL and I are both working on 10mm copper solid loads for brown bear defense. I've observed similar occasional but consistent low velocities using Cutting Edge 190gr and 800-X. My powder charges are measured on a Chargemaster, and I checked OAL. All the loads were in Starline brass. I've tried LPP and LPM, with no observable difference in velocity--and had the same ~-40 fps happen every few rounds. I do not feel any difference in the recoil impulse. I will weigh the bullets, but I can't see how any reasonable variation in weight could cause that much difference.
Measuring diameter is an excellent idea.
My current hypothesis is that slight variation in bullet diameter or shape are causing friction. These are long bullets, with rings. I have some liquid bullet lube ordered and am going to try that.
“There is no growth in the comfort zone.”--Jocko Willink
"You can never have too many knives." --Joe Ambercrombie
Previous ideas are good.
40 FPS isn't really a lot of spread. I've had quality factory ammo with a spread like that.
When I was reloading for power factor, I found that some powders were sensitive to how the powder laid in the case. If I would elevate the muzzle before each shot, velocity was more consistent.
Both of our loads with 200gr Bluebullets have extreme spreads of around 5-10fps, and no extreme lowball velocities like we're seeing with the copper solids. As well, these are basically full charges at case capacity. I tapped each case to settle the powder before seating.
“There is no growth in the comfort zone.”--Jocko Willink
"You can never have too many knives." --Joe Ambercrombie
I would measure bullet diameter in several locations up and down and around the bullet for inconsistencies. Measure the inside diameter of the brass.
I might guess that the lead bullets can expand slightly on firing but the copper won't.
check bullet weight too.
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